, 1887-05-25
WHAT WOMEN ARE AT.

holds as true of women as Emerson says IL
does of B rahma. AS no mere cynic, then,
but as a sage and profound observer, is to
be set down the widely quoted old Turkish
viZier who, whenever anything was up III
CO%nstantinople, went at once to the root
of the matter with the regulation inquiry,
"Who was she?" What are women lat in
Boston ? is a question, therefore, that has
always q right 20 the 1Oor-a question,
moreover, that no one could have failed To
get a most encouraging and inspiring an
swer to who attended the Tuesday after
noon and evening sessions of the "WOnlerIS
Educational and Industrial Union" at
Horticultural Hall. The afternoon, WIS,
devoted to reading reports OF the various
kinds of work set on foot by the society.
Now; ordinarily, listening to reports is as
dry work as crunching "the remainder
biscuit" But on this occasion it was %
positive pleasure, SO short, SO varied,
so to the point, were the brief sum
maries. No fair minded spectator
could fail to feel, on noting @and re-
fecting upon what was going ON before his
ewes. thai a new and positive force ~ com
ING into human history through what Is
sometimes enthusiastically, and sometimes
sneerincly, called the emancipation of
woman. There is no use iii QuarrellIng
over mere words; the thing is the under
living heaving forces that throw words ny
to the surface as the sea does foam. Blind
er than a mole must II man be who does
not perceive that in this age woine are
coming to u consciousness OF their intellect
tual. moral and practical power such as
was never before felt by them i'll amy I'M
man history and they are coming to this
knowledge through graphing with actual
realities and applying their energies to
working out positive results. The only
education that has ever given power To
man, women are now likewise g'HCCIhg.
Newton learned astronomy by wrestling
with the objective order OF the solar SYSTEM
and Linn@us botany by wrestling with the
order of the vegetable world. ihe only
real school Of navigation has been tue
quarterback Of the ship, and the only real
school Of q chief OF police handling S0ntfs
Boston h0olluma. Now, heretofore, so re-
strict6d have been the opportunities for
women finding out what measure. OF power
is really in them, and So perSistently have
they been kept ont ON the bank because
they did not know how to swim, and made
such very slow progress i'll acquiring the
art on dry land. that they have inevlta-
bly, remained largely Ignorant OF them
selves.
All over the country are they now form
ing themselves into powerful unions, AMI
the amount of talent they ;ste developing
is something amazing. AS victory after
victory is won by them, such aS III getting
the infamous law Of "the age OF consent"
altered or securing the attendance Of ma
irons at police stations, IL growing CON
seriousness Of strength is developing In
their minds. 1t is the perception OF his
that must make every rejecting man al
nit that a new power is entering the list
in historical development. The one para
Giving influence that has heretofore weigh
ed on woman, and brought on for ages u
condition of t'arrested Developments" has
been excessive and apologetic tlipldlty.
The self confidence ami courage that are
born of action alone have been denied
them. Like raw recruits who have never
been taught to stand fire, they have lnevi-
tably felt vi :ard AMI frightened. Most
men are scared to death the FIRST time they
undertake to say II word in public or ~
tenL their first business meeting ami try to-
state - proposition. Until they get over
the scare, all their education and all their
talents avail nothing but to promote per-
Spiration, stamm ering and % general desire
TO hid under the kitchen sink. Now wO-
men are at last getting over their scare
and the result will be the liberation. of an
immense amount of briglltn ess, wit, agree
ability, love and practical wisdom that
has heretofore been lost to the world NO